SerpApi.Org
99 games into their season, the Chicago White Sox have sole possession of first place in the AL Central. I'm not kidding. The team that lost 121 games just two seasons ago has as good a shot as any team to win the AL Central. In order for them to do that, though, they're going to need to bolster their pitching staff. With Tarik Skubal probably unlikely to be traded, there's a chance Joe Ryan will be the best starter available.
Now, it's no guarantee that Ryan, who is under control through 2027 and is on a Minnesota Twins team hanging around in both the AL Central and AL Wild Card races, would trade their ace, but if a deal like the one below were to present itself, they might very well go through with doing so.
What a White Sox trade for Joe Ryan could look like
Here's the package. The White Sox would be receiving Joe Ryan, a bona fide ace who drastically raises their floor and ceiling for the next two years. In the deal, they'd be sending out three prospects.
Caleb Bonemer is the headliner, but Christian Oppor and Ely Brown as secondary pieces could be enough to put the deal over the finish line. Both fan bases are bound to hate this deal, especially since it's an intra-division mock trade, but it does make sense for both sides.
Would the White Sox make this trade?
The White Sox are in a unique spot of being ahead of schedule. Nobody expected them to win many games this season; the 2026 campaign was supposed to be about developing their young players. The fact that they're doing so while winning has some wondering whether they should be pushing their chips in right now or continuing to play for the future. This trade, since Ryan would only be under control for one more year, would be the White Sox pushing their chips in. They'd be acquiring an ace, but trading their No. 1 prospect and more to get said ace.
Even with an uncharacteristically rough outing in Cleveland his last time out, Joe Ryan is very good. He has a 3.38 ERA and a 3.42 FIP in 21 starts, striking out 27.8 percent of the batters he's faced while also possessing a strong 5.8 percent walk rate. He's been an All-Star in each of the last two years. The fact that he's only 30 years old means he can potentially be extended too, especially with the White Sox not having any long-term money on their books.
Whether they'd do this trade is an interesting question because while they'd love Joe Ryan, giving a prospect as talented as Caleb Bonemer to an AL Central rival could haunt them for a very long time. Bonemer has star potential, but with the White Sox already having a stout infield and drafting Roch Cholowsky, Bonemer, while they'd obviously love to keep him, is somewhat expendable, especially in a deal that nets them a frontline arm.
If it were me, I'd do it. You only get so many bites at the apple, and the White Sox have proven they can compete in this division. Adding Ryan to the mix makes them sneaky sleepers in a weak AL, especially if they can add bullpen help elsewhere. Even if you have to give up Bonemer instead of a Billy Carlson as a headliner, Ryan is too good a pitcher to turn down. I'm hesitant to believe Chris Getz agrees, though.
Verdict: Probably not, but they should
Would the Twins make this trade?
The Twins are in an interesting position as well, as they're just 3.0 games back of a playoff spot and only 5.0 games back of the White Sox in the AL Central. They're still in both the Wild Card and division races, so trading a pitcher of Joe Ryan's caliber, particularly to a division rival, is a big ask. That's why the ask from Chicago has to be massive.
Caleb Bonemer is the kind of prospect that should get the Twins thinking about trading him, even to a division rival. He has some swing-and-miss concerns, and I'm not fully convinced he'll stick at shortstop, but he can hit, has tons of power, should be a very good third baseman, and runs pretty well. He's a top 20-ish prospect for a reason, and exactly the kind of prospect the Twins should want as a headliner for Ryan.
The deal wouldn't be Bonemer alone, either. Christian Oppor hasn't had a good year thanks largely to brutal command of his pitches, but he throws incredibly hard and has the stuff to be a frontline starter if (and it's a big if) the control clicks. Ely Brown is more of a lottery ticket, but his approach at the plate is fantastic, and if he can tap into some power, there might be something there.
The Twins need to pick a direction. If they plan on competing, obviously, Ryan shouldn't be going anywhere and they should be making legitimate win-now moves. If not, now feels like the best time to trade Ryan, and there's a good chance they won't get a better deal than this, even taking the fact that they'd be sending him to Chicago into account.
Verdict: Yes, if they decide to sell
More MLB news and analysis:
- Realistic trades the Yankees can make with Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones
- Cardinals fans want 4 players sent packing for blowing their lead in the NL Wild Card standings
- MLB playoff picture, bracket and predictions after 100 games
- This Red Sox-Angels trade for Zach Neto could help Boston win the AL pennant
- The definitive list of MLB trade deadline buyers and sellers, according to an MLB Insider
This article was originally published on fansided.com as This White Sox-Twins trade for Joe Ryan could haunt the AL Central for years to come.
